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Tue, 26 Sep 2017 19:10:53 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.3Insights From a Digital Marketing Job Searchhttps://www.clickz.com/insights-from-a-digital-marketing-job-search/29269/
https://www.clickz.com/insights-from-a-digital-marketing-job-search/29269/#respondTue, 14 Oct 2014 10:00:00 +0000https://www.clickz.com/2014/10/14/insights-from-a-digital-marketing-job-searchAs happens a few times during one’s professional career – if you’re lucky – I recently had the chance to stop working, step back, and conduct a purposeful job search. While it was an emotional rollercoaster, I also learned a ton. Oddly, much of it can be applied to driving digital marketing success. Here are a few key insights.

1. Start With Broad Discovery

For many of us, we tend to find new opportunities while currently employed and they tend to be either driven by the need to move on – personal – or because an opportunity arises that can’t be passed up. Sometimes these opportunities are great and align to our passions and ambitions beautifully. Other times we feel like we’re just taking what’s given and regret not being able to be as thoughtful or exploratory as we’d like. I’ve been able to do both in my career and both approaches have their advantages and challenges.

I’ve been a digital marketer for my entire career – more than 18 years now – and I’ve purposely chosen opportunities where I could apply my skills immediately but also where I’d be pushed out of my comfort zone and would learn a lot. I’ve consistently chosen to look at digital from wholly different perspectives so I can understand both how fundamentals apply but also what’s unique. I’m a deep generalist and it’s served me well. I’ve built digital start-ups, I’ve been inside global consumer brands and e-commerce organizations, I’ve managed clients within global digital agencies, and I’ve run marketing for digital marketing technology companies.

During this “purposeful pause” I went very broad and reached out to almost every person I know in digital. They then lead me to their broader networks and so on. Getting to talk to all sorts of people working on all sorts of digital and business challenges was amazing and enlightening and enabled me to connect a whole bunch of dots that usually don’t get connected.

When planning digital programs, there are always many different options for reaching key consumers, engaging them, and driving brand and business outcomes. But to get out of your comfort zone takes courage. Do your initial planning and research then reach out to trusted advisors across disciplines under the guise of learning. Come prepared with the key questions you need answered and really listen. What’s common across approaches? What’s unique about each discipline? How can you capitalize on both?

2. Narrow Down to Just Your Best Options

After taking a few weeks to pursue and conduct meetings, I had a significant amount to think about. Did I want to work at a start-up, for a big brand, or an agency? Where could I be most successful? Who did I like the most? It’s odd to think of it this way, but I had been gathering data while I was building relationships. What emerged was a series of key criteria that could each be given a score for each opportunity.

Benefits | Travel | Culture | Commute…

As we build our marketing programs and consider channels and tactics, a similar matrix emerges.

Reach | Cost | Objectives Met | Creative Required…

If you want to get really geeky – and I do – you can build weighting into your scoring. Maybe cost is more important than reach, so multiply the cost score by 1.5. Once you’ve filled-in your scores and adjusted weighting, you should start to see your top opportunities emerge. Again, keep an open mind – if you trust the process and are honest with your scores you might be surprised about what rises to the top.

3. Negotiate the Best Deals

In job searches there’s a fine balance between you needing a job and employers needing to fill the role. After you’ve passed the initial screens and have shown yourself worthy of consideration or an offer, the scales tip in your favor. While you don’t want to jeopardize the opportunity, you are able to negotiate on a few fronts. Think holistically about your commute, your workstation, your needs when working away from the office, etc. and ask for appropriate perks.

When developing marketing plans, the same dynamics and opportunities apply. Don’t take anything at face value; there’s always room to move. Once you’ve built a relationship with a vendor or agency, they’re very interested in closing the deal. If considering social advertising, for example, push to work with an account person and see if they can help with building key segments or can provide guidance on getting CPMs down. If working with a vendor, ask about having a dedicated account person (explicitly ask for their best resource) to help with implementation and ensure success. And here’s a special secret – if you can offer a public case study, they’ll bend over backwards to make you successful.

4. Leap With Both Feet

At the end of this search, I was lucky enough to have a few options. Making a final decision wasn’t easy, but once I did, I was all in. No matter how much research and questioning you do during the search process, it’s impossible to know for sure if it will be the right fit for you and your new employer. But it’s really important to enter every new opportunity full of passion, energy, and openness to learning.

The same is true of marketing campaigns. No matter how much work you do up front, how much planning and creative development effort you and your team put forth, you never really know how it will perform until it’s running. Approach every launch with excitement and an openness to learn. You can usually quickly adjust and try new things. Marketing, too, takes courage, but when you plan right and thoroughly consider and weigh your options, the risks can be greatly reduced.

BONUS INSIGHTS:

Have Lunch With Smart People at Least Every Month

Seriously. This was the biggest thing I learned. Meeting with interesting people informally is invaluable and it provides insights while building relationships, what’s better than that?

Publish While You Search

No matter how long you plan to be out of work, it’s essential that you stay fresh and involved. If you don’t have a blog or a Twitter account, make them and start publishing and curating. If you’re courageous, you can even try pitching article ideas to publishers in your space – do it.

Consult While You Search

You have skills and people will pay you for them. As you meet with potential employers, offer your services as a consultant during your search. It will enable you to make a little money and show folks what you’re capable of.

Volunteer or Mentor While You Search

Are there any start-up incubators or university business classes in your area? Can you offer your time to help mentor students or young entrepreneurs? Helping others succeed is not only rewarding, but it’ll help you hone your skills and expand your network.

]]>https://www.clickz.com/insights-from-a-digital-marketing-job-search/29269/feed/0The Pros and Cons of Joining a Tech Start-Uphttps://www.clickz.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-joining-a-tech-start-up/31018/
https://www.clickz.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-joining-a-tech-start-up/31018/#respondTue, 17 Jun 2014 09:00:00 +0000https://www.clickz.com/2014/06/17/the-pros-and-cons-of-joining-a-tech-start-upAh, “the tech start-up.” There’s nothing quite like it. Lightning-fast work environments, opportunities to really get your hands dirty, the feeling that you’re working for a cause – these are some of the ways that people have described the intense whirlwind experience that is working for a tech start-up.

Like any job, working for a tech start-up has its highs and lows. If you’re wondering whether or not you should accept a job at a hot new start-up, here’s some food for thought to chew on before making your final decision.

Slim Resources

More often than not, fresh tech start-ups operate on a shoestring budget. If you’re looking for a glamorous corporate work environment with luxurious private offices, innovative equipment, and a company chef, you may want to keep looking. The Google headquarters might boast these perks, but start-ups are, well, just starting up! That usually means modest furnishings and limited resources. Just keep your fingers crossed that you won’t be working at a desk built out of orange crates or sidestepping empty pizza boxes on your way to the barely functional coffee machine.

Jack (or Jill) of All Trades

Start-ups are in a constant state of growth and flux. For that reason, your job can rapidly change and evolve to meet needs that arise. A start-up can be the perfect springboard if you’re looking to grow your skills, get outside your comfort zone, and learn new things. Even if you don’t stick with the company long-term, it’s a safe bet that you’ll walk away with diverse experiences you’d be hard-pressed to get at a large corporation. Having a “can do” attitude is key. If you shy away from a challenge and prefer to stick to one thing, a start-up may not be your happy place.

A Seat at the Table

Working closely with the company’s decision-makers is one of the key advantages of working at a start-up versus a larger organization. There’s often no hierarchy or levels between you and the top people, so you can play a more active role in shaping company strategy and direction. If you have a voice and appreciate when your ideas are heard (and maybe even implemented), a budding start-up might just be the place for you. As start-ups evolve so quickly, you’ll actually be able to see the impact of your decisions, rather than waiting years to see the ripple effects at a large, well-established company.

Unpredictable Hours

One of the most notable differences between working at a tech start-up and a traditional corporate environment is the less-than-structured hours. If you accept a start-up job with the expectation that you’ll be working 9-to-5 – think again. As tech start-ups want to make headway in a sea of big fish, they need to make traction and fast. That means that when projects need to be completed and milestones need to be hit, you can expect to work long hours or weekends, often without compensation. Caffeine and pizza will become indispensable staples of your diet.

Look at Total Compensation, Not Just Salary

Most well-funded tech start-ups are eager to snatch up great talent. In addition to an annual salary, such start-ups often offer stock or equity. Earning equity can be your golden ticket (think of those early employees of Google and eBay – they’re sitting pretty right now)

Pick a start-up that’s a winner, and those options are your upward mobility, both in position and in salary. And who knows, you may just get lucky and get your foot in the door in with the next BIG tech company where your shares really pay off.

And while we’re talking about compensation, one note of caution: Make sure that start-up is well funded. A million dollars in the bank may sound like a lot but it goes really fast if there’s no revenue stream. Beware of poorly funded companies with slow revenue streams where you may not receive your paychecks on time.

All and all, if you’re looking for an exciting growth opportunity and have found a start-up company with a solid business strategy and adequate funding, then jump on board, hang on tight, and get ready for an exciting ride.

]]>https://www.clickz.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-joining-a-tech-start-up/31018/feed/0Goodbye SEO, SEM, and Advertising: A Job Description for Digital Marketers of the Futurehttps://www.clickz.com/goodbye-seo-sem-and-advertising-a-job-description-for-digital-marketers-of-the-future/31113/
https://www.clickz.com/goodbye-seo-sem-and-advertising-a-job-description-for-digital-marketers-of-the-future/31113/#respondTue, 10 Jun 2014 21:00:00 +0000https://www.clickz.com/2014/06/10/goodbye-seo-sem-and-advertising-a-job-description-for-digital-marketers-of-the-futureAs with most jobs, the role of a digital marketer is set to change significantly in the next few years. The role that was once about “making people want things” is fast becoming about “making things people want.” Instead of exploiting transient value, the next generation of digital marketers will need the skills to create sustainable, ongoing value.

In the age of personal digital services in the experience economy, here’s a job description that some digital marketers of today might be considering in just a few short years:

Role: Digital Service Designer

About You:You’ll have a deep and nuanced understanding of multiple cultures and be able to work without direction or supervision. Largely self-directed, you’ll be responsible for discovering and creating new markets, co-designing new services that address real and fundamental human needs. You’ll be able to analyze large amounts of data with intuition and insight and be fluent in empathic research and design techniques.

About Us:We’re a personal services agency that creates unique, contextual, and serendipitous experiences for people. We deliver our services to a base of around 8 million people. We’re a distributed global team of 28, with a holacratic organizational structure and a lifestyle culture.

Overall Responsibility:You’ll be responsible for creating and discovering new markets. In your role as client proxy, you’ll lead and influence the human-centered design of new products and services (and iterating existing ones) throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Key Skills:Client empathy skills and tools, technical literacy, and design savvy are required for this role:

Data science

Experience design

Creative insight and foresight

Exceptional social skills

Technical fluency and prototyping skills

Sustainable product lifecycle management

Continuous self development

Education: We’ll review your online portfolio with a particular emphasis on the following:

Compelling case stories supported by proven results

Evidence of continuous, self-directed learning

Evidence of the creative and innovative use of design and technology

Evidence of client satisfaction and measurable social impact

Note: While a university degree will not be considered a disadvantage, we will preference candidates with more direct and current experience.

References:We’ll contact a variety of people to get further insight into your personality and reputation.

Image via Shutterstock.

]]>https://www.clickz.com/goodbye-seo-sem-and-advertising-a-job-description-for-digital-marketers-of-the-future/31113/feed/0Tap Into Social Media to Find Your Perfect Jobhttps://www.clickz.com/tap-into-social-media-to-find-your-perfect-job/31159/
https://www.clickz.com/tap-into-social-media-to-find-your-perfect-job/31159/#respondThu, 05 Jun 2014 21:00:00 +0000https://www.clickz.com/2014/06/05/tap-into-social-media-to-find-your-perfect-jobSocial media isn’t just a way to keep in touch with friends. It’s also a useful tool to help find the perfect job. Tapping into social media to hunt for your next position is now as important as emailing your résumé to recruitment companies. So, whether you’re trying to secure your first job, considering a move up the career ladder, or looking to change career completely, getting social media on your side is the first step toward finding the perfect role.

Cherry-Pick Social Media Platforms

Although social media can open up plenty of doors to finding that coveted position, not all of those opportunities will be right for you. As with traditional recruitment tools, make sure you search through the various online communities and cherry-pick those that relate to your interests and the sector you’re in; putting a little effort in at the beginning will make your search more tailored and, ultimately, more successful.

deviantART is one of the largest art websites in the world, boasting a staggering 12 million members. It’s a great site that allows new – and experienced – graphic designers to showcase their work and sell their pieces. Translators Café and Proz.com, two online bases for freelance translators and agencies, provide links to freelance work and even full-time translation, interpreting or project management roles. Social media platforms aren’t just for the more creative side of the professional world, either; NurseLinkup is a professional social network for the 3 million nurses currently registered in the U.S.

Social media platforms are also a great place to meet like-minded people, offering you a source of contacts, a place to share tips and ideas, and generally keep your eye on the industry ball. Always remember to think further than the familiar. If you’re looking at jobs in another country, check out whether they have their own social media platforms. VKontakte is a huge social media platform in Europe, second only to Facebook, while Orkut is popular in Brazil.

Remember Larger Social Media Platforms

Industry-specific platforms are great for getting that specialized insight into a sector, but don’t let your enthusiasm for the more niche channels take away from your participation in the bigger ones. It’s still important to maintain your online profile on larger social media platforms.

Twitter and Google+ can give you good insights into your sector and allow you to identify key industry influencers: look at who’s at the top of their game, see what they’re writing about, and look to follow them on Twitter. By getting involved in the conversation and showing a passion for the topic you can build strong industry contacts. Google+ Conversations are also a good place for open discussions about topics, while Google+ Hangouts facilitate group video chats.

If you don’t already have a LinkedIn page, then it’s time to get one fast. LinkedIn is your online résumé, so any time you update your hardcopy CV, you should be doing the same to your LinkedIn page. Upload a photo and join groups and discussions that relate to your industry. By keeping your profile active on LinkedIn you make it easier to connect with influencers and recruiters in your sector.

Find People and Jobs Will Find You

In business it’s often who you know and not what you know that counts. Now with the help of social media, it has never been easier to find key contacts when job hunting. Take a proactive approach and contact human resource managers or the head of the department you are interested in online and get your résumé to them before a position is advertised; it shows you’re really passionate about the role and the business. However, there’s a fine line between showing you’re interested in a role and harassing someone online; if it’s a platform that you wouldn’t feel comfortable discussing work on (for example, Facebook), then chances are they aren’t, either.

Create an Online You

Unlike with a traditional CV, social media gives you a chance to really show who you are to an employer; what gets you excited, what you’re passionate about, and why you love the job that you do. If you’re not making the most of this opportunity to showcase your brilliance, then you’re missing a trick. Use social media to be passionate about what you do and demonstrate your skills before you enter the interview room.

Be Part of the Social Media Conversation

Social media is exactly what it says it is: social. Whether you’re using it for your own personal use or for maximizing job opportunities out there, there’s no time for wallflowers. Social media platforms feed on interaction; so make sure you’re part of the conversation and get your thoughts and ideas out there. Look to answer questions, set up profiles, and simply get involved with the general buzz in the sector you’re interested in. You never know, someone may start up a conversation with a job offer you can’t help but accept.

I have fraternal twin boys. They were born a minute apart almost six years ago and from the moment they were born have had identical measurements, both weight and height. Like robots, they even met their early milestones at the same time, and, even though they weren’t identical, they looked exactly alike for their first couple of years. It was hard to not think of them interchangeably.

They started kindergarten this past September at a time when our educational system is testing-happy. We receive status updates on their academic progress at a rate that can rival the invitations you receive from your second cousin to Candy Crush Saga. The boys are in different classes now and we can’t ignore the fact that they’re different people with individual strengths and challenges. At first, my default was to compare them, especially since until September they had all the same background and opportunities. Wouldn’t they then be on the same track? Apparently, that’s not how life works whether you’re in kindergarten or 20 years into your career.

When we’re in school, we follow a preset path – kindergarten, first grade, second, etc. We assume our careers will follow the same path, from entry level to president perhaps. Those who begin with us we assume will either follow a similar trajectory and/or will be our main competition. It doesn’t work that way for many reasons. For one, very few of us stay on the same track. Life gets in our way (as it should). Secondly, like my twins, we’re not identical with our peers. They may be better managers of people and you may be more creative; it wouldn’t be fair to you, them, or your employer to bypass this understanding in favor of some egalitarian structure.

As someone who has mentored and coached people extensively in my career, I’m often confronted with this situation of “Why her and not me?” Sometimes that individual may not even want the promotion someone else received, but they assume they should at least be in line for it because of how many years they have put in. Don’t worry about other people. Don’t even worry if they got the one job that you really wanted (if you’re qualified, there will be another one better suited for you, trust me). Competition, keeping score, and comparing your outcomes to others is a losing, unproductive game. It doesn’t move you forward. There may be very good reasons about why you didn’t get what you believe you deserved, but it has nothing to do with why someone else did and even less to do with what you expected the linear path to look like.

Instead, focus on what your strengths are and the value you bring to a group. Also, surround yourself with mentors and supervisors who can also guide you honestly in your personal career path. I remember 10 years ago, after many interviews, not being offered a senior position I thought I was qualified for. I was disappointed, but my mentor was pleased. She had the experience and understanding that this was a mismatch and, even though I couldn’t see it at the time (and now do), at least, the hiring employer did also.

As I write this, I hear my twins arguing over who is a better artist. “Art is a pretty wide field,” I yell over.

“Well, I’m a better speller,” one yells back.

“Better than whom? Not me!” I yell back (although, that may not be true; I’m a terrible speller).

Silence – they are either banding together to defeat me or they have no idea what I’m talking about. Either way, I’m OK with it. At least they’re not fighting.

Image via Shutterstock.

]]>https://www.clickz.com/the-losing-game-of-comparison/33267/feed/0Ad Grads 2011: Digital Shops Look Good to Themhttps://www.clickz.com/ad-grads-2011-digital-shops-look-good-to-them/51318/
https://www.clickz.com/ad-grads-2011-digital-shops-look-good-to-them/51318/#respondTue, 24 May 2011 18:57:00 +0000https://www.clickz.com/2011/05/24/ad-grads-2011-digital-shops-look-good-to-themSome of this year’s advertising graduates may be as interested in writing app code as they are ad copy. And that could be good news for digital shops and technology vendors looking for new talent.

Andrew Ferenci is director of product development at Buddy Media, which recently purchased his analytics company Spinback. He said grads who want to combine their passions for advertising and emerging technology should look to iPhone/iPad app startup companies to get their foot in the door. The 24-year-old exec ended up meeting three future business partners at the University of Wisconsin before launching Spinback last fall.

“There is a heavy focus on product now for students,” Ferenci explained. “You don’t have to be a hardcore programmer anymore to get a simple app up and running. It’s kind of easy to create advertising campaigns and partake in the app creation itself.”

Ashley Sommardahl is assistant director of student affairs for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Brandcenter, the school’s graduate program for advertising and communications. When she joined VCU’s staff five years ago, students weren’t aspiring to land in cutting edge digital shops.

“When I first started, I feel like everyone wanted to go the well-known traditional agencies like BBDO, Wieden + Kennedy, and JWT,” she said. “And then they’d look at the AKQAs, R/GAs, and Razorfishes of the world. The thinking was, ‘If I cannot get into Wieden + Kennedy or BBDO, I’ll go to a digital agency.’ Now digital agencies are on their radar as much as, if not more than, the traditional agencies.”

Sommardahl said the new wave of talent is also more receptive to in-house positions with brands than in past years. In the last two months, she said, recruiters for Apple, Google, Urban Outfitters, and other large companies have visited her school’s Richmond, VA, campus.

“Those types of progressive companies are making our students think, ‘Maybe I will actually go work for the client,'” she said. “I am seeing that trend as well, whereas a half-decade ago I don’t know if anyone would have considered going to work for a client.”

Sunder Narayanan is a clinical associate professor of marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Underscoring how marketing education is increasingly emphasizing digital, the veteran instructor this fall is introducing a course, “Digital Strategic Marketing,” which is designed to quickly get students up-to-speed on the technology and current practices in the marketing field.

“We know there is a big digital convergence taking place,” Narayanan said. “So anyone who wants to have anything to do with media, e-commerce, marketing… they have to, at some level, understand digital technologies.”

BYU Portfolios Feature a ‘Pencil’

With each passing year, more ad grads enter the marketplace armed with actual digital campaign experience.

Exemplifying this idea is Brigham Young University’s Ad Lab, which took home a Pencil award from The One Show in February, becoming the first student-run project to achieve the distinction. The achievement was the culmination of a program launched eight years ago by agency vet and BYU grad Jeff Sheets. Sheets and BYU instructor Doug McKinley created a curriculum driven by campaign assignments that agencies and brands would have to pay for.

“Winning the Pencil proved our concept. It proved that it’s not just about these companies giving our kids a chance to do something and saying, “Isn’t that nice?'” Sheets said. “It actually bore out that our work can be as professional as the work agencies do.”

Agencies typically come to Ad Lab with work they don’t have time for but want to get in the can, or “backburner projects,” as Sheets calls them. His students garnered the Pencil by running a campaign for Holiday Inn while working directly with the brand’s agency, McCann Erickson.

In 2010, Holiday Inn was creating a music label for artists it utilizes in the brand’s TV spots and online videos. During the same time, the Ad Lab had been working with BYU’s admission office to throw a massive water balloon fight as a way of promoting spring and summer enrollment at the Provo, UT-based school.

McCann Erickson wanted BYU’s help in putting together a music video for singer-songwriter Kyle Andrews; and then the Ad Lab pitched filming the music video during the water balloon fight. The students orchestrated the video production soup-to-nuts, while organizing a social media plan to encourage online viral. Four-thousand people participated in the water balloon fight video, which garnered more than 1 million views on YouTube while pushing Andrews’ “You Always Make Me Smile” tune.

Sheets said his program’s “student agency” often concentrates on digital, but participants also get integrated campaign experience involving TV, radio, print, etc. Some of the other notable names the Ad Lab has worked with in recent years: Wieden + Kennedy, Nike, EA Sports, Gatorade, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Burger King, Volkswagen, Black & Decker, and Verizon.

“Students are being mentored by senior-level thinkers, as well as the client marketers,” he said. “Such professionals give feedback so the students are learning from more than their teachers and peers; they are learning from some of the best in the business.”

Priscilla Natkins is EVP and director of client services for the AdCouncil, which has turned to BYU’s program six times since 2007 to get campaigns completed. “From TV to print to banner ads to animated work, they have developed everything we need,” she said. “We give BYU modest, modest budgets. And they bring back work that is surprisingly rich and robust. I think their students are getting extremely prepared for the marketplace.”

New Generation Brings Native Digital Feel

BYU’s undergraduate program is considered by many ad talent recruiters to be an emerging player, while VCU, the Miami Ad School, Academy of Art University, University of Texas, and Fashion Institute of Technology are some of the more traditionally respected advertising education brands.

Sommardahl of VCU said students in 2011 have a more native feel for digital than previous classes or generations. These are young adults who were likely born around 1989, about six or so years before the Internet started going mainstream.

“I think in general our students are just savvy,” she said. “For them, it’s natural to use social media tools. They don’t have to force it… They can not only see the idea, but they can program it and have it sold to a client.”

When it comes to campaigns, Sommardahl said, VCU’s grad students have recently helped put together integrated efforts for NBC, Martha Stewart, Audi, Ritz Carlton, and others. “Digital and social media is loaded into everything we do,” she said. “It’s not like there’s just one class. Our students use digital and social media on every single project they work on.”

For the grads who want to cultivate creative and technological expertise, Martin Tobias, CEO of daily deals marketer Tippr, advised they take an entrepreneurial jump into the field and get their hands dirty.

“I’d tell them to start their own company,” Tobias said. “I’d tell them to build an app.”

]]>https://www.clickz.com/ad-grads-2011-digital-shops-look-good-to-them/51318/feed/0Lenovo Sets up Digital and Social Hub in Singaporehttps://www.clickz.com/lenovo-sets-up-digital-and-social-hub-in-singapore/51432/
https://www.clickz.com/lenovo-sets-up-digital-and-social-hub-in-singapore/51432/#respondMon, 16 May 2011 17:53:00 +0000https://www.clickz.com/2011/05/16/lenovo-sets-up-digital-and-social-hub-in-singaporeHong Kong– Lenovo, a personal technology company from China that acquired the former IBM personal computing division, is in the midst of interviewing candidates to set up a digital and social media hub based out of Singapore. The hub is designed to increase Lenovo’s digital investments for branding and marketing worldwide.

Lenovo plans to hire 20 talents before year’s end in a wide range of digital specialists from digital and social technologists to social content, metrics and analytics managers as well as a video curation and seeding manager.

Ajay Kaul, executive director, worldwide marketing services at Lenovo, said it will be a centralized place for digital thinking and strategy planning to build tools and processes that will fit into marketing plans for the various geographies and regions of the company.

He explained that the digital hub is not going to be a “back office” but a one-stop shop for global marketing teams.

Kaul, who is based in the global marketing services hub in Bangalore, India set up four years ago, said they have chosen Singapore to launch the digital and social media hub as it reflects where the business and its marketing is headed.

The country has also proven to be a good source of digital talent for where the company’s growth projections and main target audience are located – the emerging markets of Asia, Latin America, and Middle East.

Because Lenovo wants to reach out to the 18-to-34 year old demographic, young adults that spend the bulk of their time and activities on the Internet, the company is now committed to shift its marketing efforts in digital and social to support branding and marketing initiatives. However, he declined to give specific figures on its investments.

To facilitate the hiring process, Lenovo has hired Xpand Group, a technology recruitment agency to source for digital and social savvy candidates.

As Kaul noted, there is “a lot of fluff” in the market and his trip to Singapore is to seek the “thinkers and doers” who can understand the nuances and emerging technologies as well as determine what is important from an integrated digital marketing standpoint.

While Lenovo’s existing social media team looks after internal social governance and marketing based in North Carolina in the United States, it is also looking to aggressively expand its team to the new hub.

Nano Serwich, Lenovo’s social media manager, said she expects the new team to tap cutting edge technology in social media to execute marketing campaigns, monitor buzz, and form support teams dedicated to answer technical questions on social channels.

Since Lenovo’s Facebook strategy uses Buddy Media to execute localized campaigns from country to regional levels, it will also be seeking a Facebook Buddy Media lead based in Singapore.

Although Lenovo is building a team of digital and social media talents in-house, it will not replace existing agency relations.

Kaul pointed out that one of the challenges Lenovo experiences is the gap in bringing strong agency partners from all markets to cut down the speed to market.

The Singapore-based hub is intended to fill the gap by forming a network of agency partners with specialized skills to service its marketing teams worldwide.

In January, Lenovo entered a joint venture with Japan’s top PC company NEC to form the largest PC group in Japan. Separately, Lenovo launched a mobile Internet business group to focus on creating mobile Internet devices that include tablets and smartphones as well as devices in new categories like cloud computing, smart TV, and digital homes.

]]>https://www.clickz.com/lenovo-sets-up-digital-and-social-hub-in-singapore/51432/feed/0Execs: P&G Taps Digital Chief, LBi Names Director of Innovationhttps://www.clickz.com/execs-pg-taps-digital-chief-lbi-names-director-of-innovation/51562/
https://www.clickz.com/execs-pg-taps-digital-chief-lbi-names-director-of-innovation/51562/#respondFri, 06 May 2011 15:12:00 +0000https://www.clickz.com/2011/05/06/execs-pg-taps-digital-chief-lbi-names-director-of-innovationProcter & Gamble Names New Top Digital Marketer. P&G appointed Ilonka Laviz, former brand manager on Always, to the global position. Her title is a mouthful – marketing director, brand building organization, digital brand building strategy and global e-commerce – and she reports to two execs: Marc Pritchard, global marketing and brand building officer, and Alex Tosolini, VP e-commerce. She replaces Lucas Watson, who has assumed a Latin America role with responsibility for P&G’s personal health care global business unit.

EBay Hires Don Bradford to Lead Social. Bradford, formerly of Yahoo, has been named VP of social at eBay and is tasked with leading the company’s social commerce efforts. He will report to Dane Glasgow, VP of global product management.

Dachis Group Promotes Kim and Van der Meer. Peter Kim has been promoted to chief strategy officer and Jen van der Meer to managing director in an effort to strengthen Dachis Group’s management team while the company continues to expand globally.

LBi Names David Rosenberg Director of Innovation. In this newly created role, Rosenberg is responsible for leading innovation, developing intellectual property, and working to further establish partnerships and investment opportunities for LBi and their clients. He will also serve on the leadership team of LBi’s New York flagship and report directly to Judith Carr, President of LBi US.

LocalResponse Names Kathy Leake President. Leake, co-founder of Media6Degrees, has been named president and founding partner of LocalResponse just in time for the launch of the second segment of its upcoming consumer-targeting technology venture on May 10th. In this role, Leake is responsible for on-boarding brands and agencies to the platform via mobile technologies.

Mindshare Chicago Names Digital Director. Chris O’Brien has been named managing director, digital office lead for Mindshare Chicago. In this role, he will act as a digital partner to account teams and is also responsible for digital strategic approaches and technologies across the agency’s client base. O’Brien will report directly to Dan Reaume, head of Mindshare’s Chicago office.

Attik Makes Interactive Hires. The company’s San Francisco office made three hires, including David Ziganay as senior digital art director, Scott Howe as senior interactive producer, and Suyash Joshi as design technologist. Their appointments are effective immediately and all three are currently involved in projects for Scion.

Perry Ellis appoints La Comunidad for Original Penguin by Munsingwear. Perry Ellis International makes La Comunidad full-service agency of record for the clothing line. The assignment includes social media, print, email marketing, and in-store events.

Arnold Europe to expand Jack Daniel’s digital presence. Arnold Europe will develop a creative digital platform, focused heavily on social media, for Jack Daniel’s in Europe and Asia-Pacific. A worldwide digital campaign for the spirits brand is expected to launch in May.

The Economist selects Havas Digital. After a review, Havas Digital, the digital media and interactive division of Havas Media, was chosen by the Economist to oversee all digital and social media duties for their circulation acquisition endeavors.

]]>https://www.clickz.com/execs-accounts-rga-hires-in-sf-la-comunidad-wins-original-penguin/51980/feed/0Microsoft Is Quick to Name New Marketing Headhttps://www.clickz.com/microsoft-is-quick-to-name-new-marketing-head/52026/
https://www.clickz.com/microsoft-is-quick-to-name-new-marketing-head/52026/#respondWed, 06 Apr 2011 18:21:58 +0000https://www.clickz.com/2011/04/06/microsoft-is-quick-to-name-new-marketing-headMicrosoft announced its new head of marketing today, Chris Capossela, less than a week after longtime executive Mich Matthews said she was leaving it. Capossela’s technical title is SVP of the consumer channels and central marketing group, but he also assumes the more familiar position of chief marketing officer.

Matthews, a 22-year veteran of Microsoft, said she will vacate the role sometime this summer, leading many to believe the company would take its time finding a replacement. But Capossela had recently left his post as SVP of the Microsoft Business division, and was presumably available now. In a release, the company said the two would work together through the summer.

Microsoft has also taken the opportunity to merge the Consumer Channels and Central Marketing Group functions under a single leader, which brings its retail, mobile operator and distribution teams into one organization. Capossela will report to COO Kevin Turner.

Capossela has been with Microsoft for 20 years. In his most recent position he was responsible for marketing the Redmond, WA-based company’s productivity products (Office, Exchange, Visio, etc.), which put him in charge of the launches for Office 2007 and 2010. Before that he’d served in a number of marketing and technical positions at Microsoft, including a stint as Bill Gates’ “speech assistant.”